OWE, v. To have (and to hold) a debt. The word formerly signified not … — The Devil's Dictionary
SAPIR 861
OWE, v. To have (and to hold) a debt. The word formerly signified not indebtedness, but possession; it meant "own," and in the minds of debtors there is still a good deal of confusion between assets and liabilities.
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (WLC), CC BY 4.0